


Nostalgia

by ThePoeticMadman



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, He needs a lot of hugs, I Don't Even Know, I Tried, I am defeated, I only hope it's a good work, I really tried, Other, Words are hard, also older babes, also some of my humour, and like...there isn't even that much of an action or anything, and now I'm tired, and sleep, because I said so, might be weird, not sure if the title will even make sense for this thing, please enjoy, please save him from his shitty sleep schedule and horrible overworking, so many words, the man is tired, wow I am tired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-19
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2020-01-16 16:14:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18525070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePoeticMadman/pseuds/ThePoeticMadman
Summary: Being in your thirties is great. You mostly rot in the work, your body has a crisis occasionally, your mental health as well, oh, and don’t forget to add the still screeching guilt that you’ve been carrying in your soul since your teenage years.Absolutely wonderful.Post cannon university where Akechi works and tries his best to live a normal life. That is, until he's sent to Tokyo for work reasons. Look at this man trying his best while he's also panicking on the inside (that's a mood, to be honest).





	Nostalgia

**Author's Note:**

> Done for the Shuake Hell Discord anniversary. Hopefully this weird vomit of words is actually good (I can't tell. I've just finished and I'm really tired.)
> 
> English isn't my first language, so if there are any mistakes in here, please do remember that.
> 
> Enjoy this one (very, very long ass) shot!

Life has been…okay, mostly. Who would have known that he’d make it out of that cursed ship years ago? But he did, and he’s been living out of Tokyo for years now. He found a nice office job (not the best, but still nice, considering he doesn’t have to commute too far to work) and his apartment was also way nicer than the one back in his teenage years (this one’s way less hollow than that one – he doesn’t have much things around on shelves, but he has a lot of things hidden in drawers).

So yes, life has been okay.

 

He looks to the grey sky above. The rain pours down and soaks everything wet. People run with their bags above their heads. Or they run to the nearest shop to hide here. Others just pull out their umbrellas and carry on in their walk.

And he, for the better or for the worse, forgot his umbrella home.

_Of course. Of all days, I had to forget it on the one day when it would rain._

He sighs, and his right leg slightly hit the other. Today has been _especially_ bad already, so this was as adding more salt to the already over salted soup. And such a soup tastes _horribly_.

What a beautiful metaphor to this crappy day.

 

When he arrives home, he starts to pack his things up. Curse his effort to be always the best. Curse his habit of saying yes before thinking it properly (it doesn’t happen that often – but when it does, then it _sucks_ ).

The company he works at is a subsidiary. And turns out that the main branch lies where? In Tokyo.

Of _all_ places. It must be Tokyo.

The boss called him and said they need to send someone reliable here for a meeting. The main branch has a new project they want to introduce, so they’re calling all subsidiaries to send their representatives. And he’s been thought of as the most reliable of all – so, would he like to be the representative?

He said yes immediately, and only then he asked where he will go.

“Oh, it’s in Tokyo. Which reminds me, didn’t you use to live here? Think of it as a nice trip to see the city you lived in!”

He didn’t think about it until he exited the office. _Then_ it clicked.

His anxiety shot through the roof. What if he met some of them here? What if he met _him_? What if he met Okumura?

(Oh heavens, not Okumura. He saw enough of her murder moods when he was in the party…he can clearly picture her with that sweet fake smile and closed eyes. Once she’d decide to kill him, he’ll be done for. He knows how determined she is once she targets something.)

He looks to his suitcase. He didn’t even realize he already packed up everything necessary – the suitcase looked as if it would explode if he tried to add any more stuff in here.

That reminds him of the time at the ship. She said that while she can’t forgive him, she understands where he came from.

It reminds him of Takamaki and her _“Well, we’re going further, so it’d be a trouble if you tried to stop us…why don’t you join us?”_

He sighs tiredly.

_Life has been, in fact, NOT okay._

 

Being in your thirties is great. You mostly rot in the work, your body has a crisis occasionally, your mental health as well, oh, and don’t forget to add the still screeching guilt that you’ve been carrying in your soul since your teenage years.

Absolutely wonderful.

_This is the worst idea I’ve ever had. Why did I not ask FIRST? Why did I NOT ask first where the HECK the main branch is. Why TOKYO. Why THIS?_

_…if I’m meeting anyone from them…_

_…no. Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it. Don’t-_

“Our next stop will be Shibuya Station. Please make sure to exit as safely as possible. Have a good day!”

He looks around him – he almost can’t turn his head, that’s how crowded the train is.

Then he bitterly looks in front of him and stares into empty space.

_My day has been already ruined._

 

Surprisingly, the day looks as it might not be bad that much.

He arrived on the meeting on time, and taking notes wasn’t even that necessary most of the time. People were nice, and the representative of the main branch was willing to answer any questions from others. It looked as if all disaster his anxiety made up weren’t going to happen.

For every million made up disasters, only one happens.

_But damn he sure did wish he’d take a different route._

 

He wandered through the city a bit, originally wanting to just buy a little snack and then go back to catch a train home…well, that didn’t happen.

Instead, he’s standing before LeBlanc now. (How did he even end up here?)

He tries to peek inside from distance, but he can’t see much. Only some regular customers sitting at their favourite tables, drinking some coffee and or having some little desserts (are these house blend, maybe?). He can’t even see who’s at the counter…

“You’re free to go in, you know.”

He dodges to the side and looks to a person next to him. A man with a beard is looking at him, carrying some bags in his arms. He tries his best to keep them balanced with his chin.

He quickly recovers and says, in the most neutral tone ha can manage: “Thank you. I haven’t been in Tokyo for some time, so I’m afraid I’ve got a bit lost.”

(Have his lying skills have gotten rusty? Or maybe it’s just that he was startled.)

The man smiles and gestures him to follow.

“Well, how about a coffee then? You must be tired after your journey here.”

“That’s very kind of you, but…”

He pauses. Sojiro didn’t recognize him thanks to the hat he’s wearing. Maybe…just maybe, he could stay a while for one coffee.

_Only one, though…chances that he’ll be here…please don’t be here._

Sojiro pauses in the open door.

“Well, are you coming?”

“…you know, maybe I can make an exception this time.”

Sojiro smiles. “You’re welcome. So,” he walks inside and then to the back to put groceries in place, “do you have any favourite flavour?”

 

When he walks inside, he can feel the weight fall from his shoulders. Even now, years later, this café feels as welcoming as ever.

It feels like home.

He chooses the one stool nearest to the door. The very same spot he used to sit on when…ah, better not to think about that.

“That one, eh?” Sojiro comments.

“Is this someone else’s place? I can sit elsewhere-“

“Oh no, no, sit down. I didn’t mean to come off like that. It’s just…” a hand runs through his beard, “a kid used to sit in this spot. That was a long time ago though…I haven’t seen him. No one have, actually.”

He’s somewhat warmed that Sojiro still remembers him, after all these years.

“You know…” he slightly looks up to the man behind counter, slightly enough so that his face is mainly hidden, “you don’t have to keep the hat in there.”

“Oh, that…”

_Oh no. I knew it was a bad idea to come here._

“Well, I…um, may I keep it? I’m here just on a quick coffee, after all.”

“Oh, yeah that’s true. So, what would you like? The house blend? Or something more specific?”

“Well…how about that one?” he points to beans in a green package.

Sojiro smiles. “A refined taste, I see.”

“Not really, it’s just my favourite.”

“Huh…you know how I mentioned that kid before? These were his favourite ones too…oh, sorry, I keep babbling about nonsense.”

“It’s nothing. Perhaps you could tell me about this person? You seem to be worried about them.”

“Ah well, not really worried,” he picks up the green package and starts preparing the coffee, “it’s just…he’s been missing for years now. Ever heard about Phantom Thieves?”

“I did. Everyone at my town used to talk about them.”

“Ahah, they were that famous? Well anyways, it was during that time when these appeared he started to come around here. Some days he’d chat, other days he’d just quietly sit on the stool you’re on. He looked drained, and other times he’d bring around his work as well…he was a detective, you know? And he was still in high school at that time! An admirable kid. I liked him a lot, it was nice to talk to him. And he was a regular too.”

“If he was a regular, then why did he stopped coming around? It doesn’t sound like he wasn’t pleased with your coffee.”

“He really wasn’t! He loved the coffee, that’s for sure…oh yeah, here,” he puts a white cup in front of him.

He blows and then takes a small sip. A smile forms on his lips. _Delicious as always…I missed this._

“I can’t see how anyone would hate this one – it’s very delicious.”

“Right?”

“So…how come he stopped coming here?”

_Why am I still asking about myself? That’s in the past. Though…hearing Mr. Sakura speaking about me is somehow satisfying. And it’s not like I get to hear what other people think about me from this view that often._

_…it’s nice._

Sojiro sighs and stars preparing a coffee for himself.

_…maybe I shouldn’t have asked. Perhaps I’m annoying him-_

“Don’t know, really. He just…stopped. The weirdest thing is, there were missing posters about him. But they never found him…and these posters were soon removed.”

“I see…well, who knows what happened to him then.”

“Yeah,” Sojiro smiles weakly, “who knows indeed.”

He takes another sip. _If you only knew, Mr. Sakura…if you only knew._

 

“Ah, I’ve got to go. My last train will come to Shibuya soon.”

“Oh, so soon? Well then, have a safe journey home.”

“Thank you. I’ll try to come again if I’ll have the chance,” he says as he picks up his suitcase and goes to door.

“Wait…”

_Oh no. Here it comes, doesn’t it?_

“What’s your name? We got so lost into talking I forgot to ask.”

He turns, his hand on the door handle. It’d be better not to answer, it could better if he didn’t turn around, it could be better if-

“I’ll tell you next time, I promise- I really have to go now, or I won’t make it to the train station.”

“Ah, alright. Goodbye for now! Looking forward to next time you’ll come.”

“I’m looking forward to that too. And thank you for the coffee! Goodbye!” he almost runs away from the café. The weight that fell from his shoulders before is on here again.

_Well, that could have gone worse. I’m just glad I didn’t meet any of them-_

He bumps into a person walking towards him. The person steps back a bit from the clash.

“Oh, sorry-“

“No no, my apologies-“

They look to each other’s eyes. Goro’s heart skips a beat.

For every million made up disasters, only one happens. And this is the worst outcome he could hope for.

 

Fluff hair. Orange fluff hair.

His eyes lock with her eyes for a little while before he turns his gaze to look somewhere else. He wonders why, just for one day, his life cannot be a disaster.

_The one I didn’t want to meet the most. The one who’s father was killed. Because it was ME who killed her father._

_…why did I have to run into her?_

“Um…I’m really, really sorry,” she bows in front if him, and he feels uncomfortable. _You shouldn’t bow to the one who caused you so much suffering- please, please stand up, I can’t stand this-_

“It’s alright, really! No need to bow!” he tries his best to get her to straighten her now still bowing back. She quickly stands up again and he exhales on the inside.

“Would you like a coffee as an apology? I’m headed to here,” she points at LeBlanc’s “Open” door sign.

“I’d be very honoured, but…ah, well, I have just left from here, actually.”

“Really? That’s a shame. Well, it was nice to meet you, um…”

_Oh no. No no no no no no. We are NOT doing this. I am NOT telling her my name._

“…I HAVE A TRAIN TO CATCH. HAVE A GOOD DAY!” and he runs past her and he doesn’t look back when his sight catches her turning around to look at him surprisingly. And why did he even shout? There was no need for that- oh screw that, he needs to catch that train!

 

He did not catch the train.

 

“Futaba are you _sure about this_ -“

“Ren, if you ask _one more time_ know that I _will_ smack your stupid unruly mop of hair-“

“WHERE DID YOU EVEN GET THAT NAME-“

“STOP SHOUTING MY EARS ARE GOING TO HURT.”

“SAYS THE ONE WHO IS SHOUTING AS WELL!”

“… _you_ guys…”

They both freeze at the cold voice as if there was an invisible whip that just hit their backs.

“…please, keep it down. We don’t want Boss to come here and start asking us why we are having a shouting contest.”

“Jokes on you, Makoto, Sojiro would join in the moment he’d came here. Because he’d ask- well, more he would _shout_ what in the _bitter coffee beans_ are we making a ruckus for-“

“Dudes. The mission. We need to catch that rat.”

“When did YOU get in here, Ryuji?”

“I’ve just arrived and…are those chips packs again???”

“Oracle, you _need_ to clean up your room from time to time-“

“OH, SHUT UP INARI. …and stop calling me that, we’re not kids anymore.”

“But you’ve just called me Inari.”

“Can you two leave this for later? I want to see the intel we got!”

“…always here for the gossipy stuff, huh.”

“Ryuji shut up. I want to see these photos!”

“Well, me too! The heck are they, anyways?!”

“Um…if you guys would keep it down, then we’d get to them…?”

“Shoot, you’re right Haru- wait, does somebody wants some drink? ‘Cause I’m thirsting-“

“Oh, you’re _always_ thirsting, but not for water…”

“ANN PLEASE-“

“LOOK I’M JUST TELLING THE TRUTH-“

Yusuke sighs tiredly as he, slowly and very dreadfully, makes a statement: “Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad if all of you would just get quiet. We are here for the mission, after all. Do we understand each other?”

Silence falls on the room and the man with blue hair looks around to see if the others breathe still.

“…that was beautiful, Yusuke. I’m glad you’re able to speak up like that now.”

“Thank you, Ann.”

“Let’s just get started already, alright?! I want to watch this compilation of memes later.”

“…Futaba, only someone like you would watch a compilation-“

“Stop lying, Ren. I know you watch them too.”

“…can we just get back to the mission now?”

“I’ll be honest, this feels nostalgic. Just like when we used to roam through Mementos…I kind of miss Johanna.”

“But Makoto, don’t you have a bike now?”

“I do. But it doesn’t have cool blue flames like Johanna had- ah, forget it. Let’s finally get to the business, shall we?”

“Good. Because at this rate, I won’t be able to watch that meme compilation later.”

 

And thus, the operation Catch the Mouse has begun.

 

He books the room at the nearest hotel he can find. He also phones his boss to apologize and that he will be coming later to work tomorrow. But another surprise comes from the talk over the phone.

“You know what? Get tomorrow some fun!”

“…I’m sorry?”

“Get fun! I’m giving you a day off!”

“But I have work tomorrow-“

“Oh, I know how hard you’re working. Besides, you already missed the train, right? No need to feel sorry for that, happens all the time. Just take it! It’s an early gift from me to you. You deserve the rest!”

“An early gift, you say?”

“You bet!”

“…are you implying you’ll be giving me some more days off…?”

“Ahah, you’ll see later! Anyways, get that rest. Besides, tomorrow’s Friday. Think of it as prolonged weekend!”

“I am flattered. Thank you.”

“No problem! Now go and rest, it’s late. See you on Monday!”

And with a beep from the other side, the talk ends. He sighs and lets the hand to the bed mattress. He panicked for a bit when he discovered that his train already departed from the station. And because he didn’t really know what else to do, he decided to go on foot and find some hotel.

He went back to the building of the meeting and asked around for some hotel so that he wouldn’t roam through Tokyo. It was a bit embarrassing, but the company representative was nice about it. They told him few names of hotels and told him to go to the nearest one. And so, he did.

He sighs again and this time he falls to the mattress on his back. It’s so soft…he feels like he could just sleep the whole tomorrow in it.

…thinking about it again, that seems like an excellent plan. He might just do that.

 

He spends most of the day in his hotel room. He did bring his notebook with him just in case, and now it’s even better. Since he doesn’t have work, he tries to watch some series while working a bit as well (he still needs to learn how to have a proper relaxing day…but he’s been getting better!)

Then someone knocks on his door. He shuts the notebook and curiously goes to open them.

“You’ve got guests, mister. Should I let them in? They say they’re your friends.”

“…”

He has a very, _very_ bad feeling about this.

 

His bad feeling was justified.

“So…you’re telling me that in _one_ day, you’ve managed to get secret photos of me, part of you followed me through the city, _then_ you have sent Okumura for a single purpose that was to miss my train back home, and _then_ you’ve also found out which hotel I booked a room in? Is that how it is?” he looks over to the whole crew that occupied his very small bed. Three of them are sitting on the sofa next to it.

“That’s right, buddy. We ain’t gonna let you go that easily!”

“…if you want to punch me, Sakamoto, you should have done that already. I deserve it.”

“… _dude!”_

Ann sighs and speaks up: “Akechi, I can assure you we aren’t here to punch you or hurt you in any other way.”

“Except maybe emotional. How dare you go back here and not tell us? I’ll torture you forever now.”

“Futaba, no. We aren’t here for this.”

“Yes, but he stills needs to pay for his actions! So, meme torture it is!”

He freezes for a bit. “…why meme torture? Sakura, you are…certainly something.”

“Just say that I’m weird. Because all of us are. And so are you, actually.”

“…why are you like this,” Ren sighs and looks to Akechi, who keeps his arms crossed. “We’re here just to talk. That’s all.”

“And? Does this talking really had to be today?”

“Yes. It was inevitable,” Makoto replies. “We just want to talk. Is it really that bad?”

“It isn’t, but the fact you _stalked_ me just so that you could do it is.”

“…he has a point.”

“Inari how dare you betray us.”

“I’m not betraying…you just called me Inari again!”

“Guys, c’mon. Back to the point! So,” the blonde looks to Akechi, “I’m just gonna ask first or we won’t get anywhere.”

The next conversation stretches and stretches on. He slowly, although hesitatingly, tells most of his story. Then the team exchanges their own stories – what happened after the engine room, and how they have been living past these years. At first, he feels still like an outsider – like he doesn’t belong with them at all. But they pull him in in conversations and before he knows it, he loses the track of time.

Yusuke shows him some arts he did while he was inspired by the engine room fight. He compliments his art skill and says they are quite beautiful. Yusuke replies that now, knowing his story, he will draw some more. He can feel the inspiration rushing to him in waves, like the ocean when its tides run to coast of the beach. Akechi says he’d be flattered to see more of it.

Futaba shows him some very interesting stuff she’s been working on – she’s been working in programming. And honestly, that suits her – she is the one who took down the Medjed, and her skill with computers cannot be denied.  
She also shows him some memes, and he has a hard time to restrain his laugh (he almost loses it at one).

Other members join in and chat with him a bit, and in some moments,  they yell at each other who’ll get his attention first – since when were they this loud?

Oh wait, they’ve been always like this, haven’t they? It was only him who put that distance between them – and he had his reasons for it.

He notices that even though all members take turns, Amamiya doesn’t join in. He’s always with someone else, chatting with them and occasionally glances to him. But when he looks to him back, he turns his look away and behaves as if it was just an accident.

_Maybe he still hates me after all these years? I…deserve that. I tried to kill him twice, after all…it’s kind of weird that they’re trying to get close to me like that. Even though…I don’t mind…_

He’s confused. And even though there’s a bunch of people in his room, he feels as he’s alone in here. All on his own.

 

They leave in the evening…all except for Amamiya. He tells others he needs to talk with him, and they, to Akechi’s surprise, give him looks of understanding.

“Would you like to go to get some crepes tomorrow, Akechi? It’s the weekend, after all – we could all go together!”

“Ugh, come on…not sweets again…”

“What, you have a better idea?”

“Obviously! He needs to get some ramen! I bet he ain’t eating right, we’ve all seen Ren’s habits.”

 _I thoroughly doubt we share the same bad eating habits,_ he thinks as he glances to their leader – even now, when they are Phantom Thieves no more, it’s evident he’s still the one they look up to.

“I appreciate your offers, but…today was rather exhausting, after all.”

“Come on, we need to make most of the time while you’re here! Oh wait, I have an idea – let’s throw a welcoming party!”

“…for what exactly?”

“For you finally bein’ in the team! Like come on, dude. You’re finally with us!”

“…I still find it hard to believe you’d all forgive me like that.”

That hits them all and there’s a silence for a while.

“…I’ve said before, in the engine room…” all heads turn to Haru, who speaks up, “that I’d never forgive you what you did to my father. I still have some grudge left…”

“You have your best reasons to still have it.”

“True. But, the more I thought about it…the more I thought that you had your reasons too. And though that doesn’t justify them…I can see now, much clearly, where you were coming from.”

“…thank you. I’m…glad to hear that.”

“Well, let us go then – or we’re going to make Boss worry.”

“Right. See you! And have fun!”

“Futaba don’t say it like that-“

“What? They still need to talk!”

Both watch as the lot finally takes their leave. Akechi sighs and remarks: “Such a noisy lot, aren’t they?”

The man next to him chuckles lightly and replies: “True. But even so, it can get a bit lonely at times.”

“How come? You have all of them. And they have you. It’s not like someone’s been missing here.”

“…but it’s true.” He looks to him and says the sentence quietly, as if he was afraid someone might hear them- and after all, they were alone…so why would he be afraid?

“…you wanted to talk, right?” He turns around and goes to sit on the sofa. Then, very nervously, he pats the space next to him. The other man follows him and sits down next to him.

“So? What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?” He wishes it’s not something about the engine room. He wishes it’s not something about his past – he doesn’t want to talk about it, can’t talk about it, isn’t sure he could handle to talk about it-

“…I just wanted to speak with you alone.”

_Wait, are you kidding me? That’s it? That’s really it? This must be some trap. Don’t fall for this. There’s something behind this for sure._

“…you could have talked to me this whole day, though? Everyone took their chance in chatting with me…even though it kind of felt…forced.”

“I’m sorry about that. We didn’t know if you’d disappear again, so we moved with our plan as quickly as possible.”

“…right.” He sighs, then finally looks to those grey eyes…a decision he regrets immediately. Even so, he keeps his gaze and talks again: “Don’t lie to me, Amamiya. Tell me what you really want to talk about.”

The other keeps his gaze too. They stare at each other before he finally replies, turning his head down and to the side: “…I didn’t lie. I didn’t want to make the atmosphere awkward…since everyone felt so comfortable around you.”

“It would be awkward…because I tried to kill you? Twice?” He can’t believe this. “Amamiya, everyone knows that. I’m sure they didn’t forget that. So why would you of all of them feel the need to talk with me alone?”

“…you know they forgave you, right?”

“I have a hard time to believe that.”

“Akechi.”

“Don’t lie again, Amamiya. They know it. They haven’t forgotten yet, have they?”

“…Goro.”

He freezes and stops breathing for a moment. Why does it feel so weird to hear him say his first name like that? Why does it feel so…weird yet nice? No one has called him like that in years. Adults were only interested in how to use him for their own twisted desires, to use him so that he could make these desires true. Amamiya was the very first friends he ever made…the only target he ever got so close to, and that was his both biggest mistake and success. Years later, he still feels the tiniest glimpse of that closeness he had…and he dances around it. Dances around it and he’s scared to become comfortable, just like others, just like that – that has never been an option for him.

He finally hoards up the courage and strength to reply…it must have been a whole eternity already.

“…yes, Amamiya?”

“…have you been feeling guilty all this time? All these years you were in hiding…all this time you never contacted us?”

“…I still have the chat, you know.”

“Heh, yeah. We kept it even after we retired from being Thieves…and didn’t you try to type one time?”

“That was an accident, I assure you.”

“Right. Futaba still has the screenshot of you typing something…the whole chat exploded because of that, you know.”

“How very typical of her. And of course, I know – I had to mute my phone, or it wouldn’t stop ringing.”

“We all thought we saw a ghost. We were theorizing if you finally came back from the dead or if you were a zombie.”

“…oh. That would have to take…some _brains_ to do that.”

“Did you just- oh my gosh you did-“

“Please don’t. I know, it’s a terrible joke.”

“No no, please continue. I want to hear more.”

“Oh shush. No more bad jokes for you.”

“But please…”

“I said no.”

“How cruel of you.”

“Cruelty is my middle name.”

“Stop…trying to be funny…”

“Because it’s not working?”

“It…actually…is…”

They laugh for a bit. When their laughter dies down, he asks again. “…but really…were you thinking about us all this time?”

“…I was. Not always. Not every day. Some days I wouldn’t even know…but then you’d all appear in dreams. Taking down some Shadows in Mementos…planning another heist….walking through the Palace, making a route…” he’s not sure what he should say next. Nobody ever gave him a manual for how to live a life.

“…I thought about too. A lot.” Ren fidgets a bit, and then his fingers start to play with themselves. “I wondered…if you were alive…what you’d be doing. If you found some...friends.”

That pause was on a purpose, wasn’t it?

“…I’ve been fine without it. Really.” He looks to the clock…wait, when did it get so late? “Amamiya…you should go. Or Boss will be worried.”

“I’m an adult now. I can do what I want.”

“Please still go. He must be worried still.”

“Fine. But come back tomorrow – he needs to know he met you yesterday. I want to see how he’ll react.”

“…wait, he really didn’t notice it was me?”

“You did a pretty good job at hiding.”

“Not much of a hiding as more of being greyer with each year.”

“Oh please. You don’t even have any grey hair… _yet_.”

“That’s coming for you too.”

“All of us fall to the creepy, rusty old age at some point.”

“…that sounded incredibly scary.”

“Good. That was my intention.”

They stand up from the sofa and go to the door. Before he can open them, Ren takes his hands into his. “You’ll visit LeBlanc tomorrow…right? We still have so much to talk about.”

He’s nervous at the contact but musters up an energy to reply: “…I’ll try.”

“That’s really good,” Ren chuckles quietly. And he slowly leans in. It takes Goro by surprise at first, but then he leans in too. Arms wrap around him…and it’s not bad. It’s very nice…and it makes his chest warm. He can feel other’s nervous heartbeat as well.

“…welcome home.”

He laughs silently. He still remembers, after all these years, huh? He thinks of those memories he had in his teens. Them hunting down Shadows in Mementos. The first time he finally felt as if he found a family. First time he ever made real friends. First time he ever felt that he belongs, before it was all ruined because of his task. He feels a bit sad, but also happy.

“…I’m home.”

Perhaps it’s still not late for him yet to find his place.


End file.
